Crimson Clouds
by Vanus Empty
Summary: He may have been the most powerful man on Earth, but he still relied completely on her. A series of disconnected Sendai Aka no Ou/Shihoudou fics.
1. Farewell

This is a series of Kyouichirou (Sendai Aka no ou/Former Crimson King) & Shihoudou fics. This entire series contains unmarked spoilers for the last ten to twelve volumes. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** Samurai Deeper Kyo belongs to Akimine Kamijyo.

* * *

In the last moment, his eyes sought hers. The Red Tower was crumbling around him, brought down by the last vestiges of his strength. Pillars were collapsing, floors were leveling, and his own body was breaking down – the strength that kept the Death Disease that affected every single Battle Doll, including himself, at bay was gone.

And he couldn't bring himself to care. He had eyes and thoughts for only one person. At this moment, the very end of his life, he was no longer the Former Crimson King of the Mibu clan, just Kyouichirou – a man who wanted to bid goodbye to the most important person in his life.

Her soft brown eyes were expressive – desperate horror warred with resigned despair. She was no fool, she knew that this was the end. It didn't mean she had to like it. Shihoudou fought hard against the blacksmith Julian who held her to his chest, preventing her from rushing to his side. Kyouichirou bid the man a silent thank you, glad that someone had the sense to prevent harm from coming to her.

She was shaking and crying in Julian's arms, knees buckling under the strain of her despair. Kyouichirou's mouth forced a soft, loving smile for her – his final farewell.

Beside him, Kyo sighed softly – a sound that was loud to him despite the roar of the crumbling tower. "She really loves you, you know," he commented gruffly.

Kyouichirou smiled at him, arms outstretched at his sides. "And I her," he told him, face turned to the sky. Years spent in the muddled haze of grief and madness had cleared when he returned his heart to his body and for the first time in a long time, he felt the warm caress of the love he felt, not only the romantic love for Shihoudou, but also the familial love he felt for Kyo.

He watched Kyo bid a silent goodbye to Shiina Yuya and smiled sadly at his surrogate son. "You found your path," he informed him, pride tinged with regret in his voice. "I am sorry, Kyo..."

Kyo scoffed and shook his head. "I'll stay with you until the end." He grinned at the elder man. "It's the least I could do."

Kyouichirou laughed once as he felt the rate of which his body dissolved increase. "Thank you, Kyo," he said, eyes flicking to Shihoudou from just beyond the ruins of the Red Tower. He moved his lips, shaping words without sound: "_Goodbye, Shihoudou. I am so sorry._"

She must have gotten the message because she sobbed, mouthing her reply back: "_I love you_."

Warmth swarmed within him and he raised his head back to the sky. _No more regrets_, he thought as he gathered the last bit of his energy and thrust it within Tenrou with a message. "_Get Kyo to safety,_" he told his predecessor. He felt the First Crimson King's affirmation.

Light glowed from Tenrou, covering Kyo's body. Kyo swore, startled, eyes darting to his. The elder man grinned. "Goodbye," he said. An instant later, Kyo was gone, hurled miles and miles away.

And then, Kyouichirou, the Former Crimson King of the Mibu clan, was no more.

* * *

I like this pairing, I really do. I think it has so much potential, especially since it boarders into canon. (Come _on_! It's so obvious she's head over freaking heels and he seems to be there, too.) I really hope that one day I can make a multi-chaptered story centering on their relationship, instead of little oneshots.

I wanna make a little note on the name: According to Hana-Mi's scanlation of volume 38, it's spelled "Kyouichirou" while on Wikipedia, it's "Kyouchirou." However, my limited knowledge of Japanese leads me to believe that the right spelling is "Ichirou" instead of "chirou." So, until I get official confirmation by Tokyopop or something, it's gonna be spelled as "Kyouichirou."I'm gonna go write some more, including add some fics for "Remembering Fireflies." might even work on "Firefly High"! *heart*


	2. Comfort

This is set many, many years before the series, around the time when Shihoudou was the leader of the Taishirou and the Former Crimson King was just the Crimson King. It's obviously before he went bat-shit insane.

**Disclaimer:** Samurai Deeper Kyo belongs to Akimine Kamijyo.

* * *

Shihoudou ran as fast as her legs could carry her. When she first realized that something had happened, something bad, she had jumped up, her bamboo hat falling from her head in her haste to rush to her lord's side. At the garden, she heard one of the other Taishirou's startled call of, "Shihoudou-nee-san!?"

She ignored them, straining herself to increase her speed. Dodging guards, servants and others, Shihoudou skidded to a halt a distance away from the garden, her sandles sliding across the tile as she stopped. Turning, she saw several men lying dead in their own blood. The Crimson King was sitting on the ground near them, his knees pulled to his chest. Though his white robes were immaculate, some arterial blood spray was splattered across his face, presumably from when he was forced to defend himself. She was startled to see that, beyond the blood, his face pale and that he seemed to be in some sort of shock.

"My lord!" She gasped and rushed to him, dropping to her knees beside him, ignorant of the blood that may stain her pants. "My lord, are you alright?"

After a few moments, the Crimson King's red eyes met hers. "Shihoudou... Why does this always happen?" He asked softly, turning away.

Confused, Shihoudou followed his gaze towards the corpses of the assassins. They were obviously Mibu in origin, since they bore the clan's crest – the yin and yang symbol. "Assassins attacking you?" She questioned, eyebrows furrowed. The Crimson King seemed to be attacked by assassins on a monthly basis, sent by power hungry nobles.

He shook his head. "Not just that..." He uttered softly and his face contorted in confused anguish. The Crimson King suddenly wrapped his arms around his knees and held them to his chest so tightly the muscles in his arms were strained.

Licking her lips, Shihoudou tentatively reached out and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. Though he had momentarily tensed in surprise, he quickly relaxed under the gentle pressure. "I don't know why people do what they do," she eventually said after several moments of contemplation, having found his train of thought. "I guess people just aren't happy."

The Crimson King sighed, leaning against her side, his long red hair brushing over her shoulder. "This world is so _sad_," he said softly, eyes filling with tears.

Filled with an empathic grief, she rested her head against his, seeking to comfort him. "It is, isn't it." After a moment or two, Shihoudou reached into her pocket and removed a small white cloth. Sitting up straight and turning, she held the cloth up to him. "You, um, you have blood..." She trailed off, pointing to her own face where, roughly, he had blood on his own.

He smiled weakly, glad that she changed the subject – he was beginning to feel desperate despair. "Could you please get it for me?"

She nodded, relieved to have something useful to do. Wetting the cloth with her tongue, she offered him an apologetic smile as she took his face into her left hand. She firmly cleared the blood from his skin, leaving behind a faint red tinge from where she scrubbed it clean, which faded before her eyes. "There," she said, offering him a smile, which he returned.

"Thank you, Shihoudou," the Crimson King said softly, smiling gently at her. "And not just for cleaning the blood."

Flushing slightly, Shihoudou quickly stood and threw her arms up to her sides. "No prob. What would you do without me?" She grinned, holding out her hand for him to stand.

He took it, allowing her to pull him to his feet. "I hope to never find out."

* * *

Okay, as far as I am concerned, this _is_ canon – this pairing. I got a copy of volume 38 (the final version, with all the extra goodies!) and, when the Former Crimson King bit it, his last thoughts were of Shihoudou and he cried (both blood and normal tears. It's interesting because when Chinmei finally died, he thought of his wife and his blood!tears became normal!tears, too.) *AND* when he does die, Shihoudou senses it. Or I could be reading into it too much. Who knows.


	3. Happiness

Set in the middle of volume 28. Kept buzzing around my head.

**Disclaimer:** Samurai Deeper Kyo belongs to Akimine Kamijyo.

* * *

"He talked about you, you know," Onime no Kyo suddenly said, startling Shihoudou. He, Sarutobi Sasuke, and she were heading towards the exit of the labyrinth.

She turned, looking up at him in confusion. "Who?" Shihoudou asked.

Kyo grimaced slightly, as if regretting bringing up the subject. "The old jerk – the former King."

"Why?" She looked surprised. "What about?"

"Random shit, nothing important. Though, he did tell me about the time when you two were walking over a koi pond and you fell off the bridge into the water." He grinned. "How'd you manage to do that, anyway?"

Shihoudou's cheeks coloured, partly from learning that her lord had spoken about her, partly from remembering an embarrassing situation. "I was trying to balance on the railing and he startled me," she explained, crossing her arms defensively. She sighed heavily and met his eyes. "Why are you telling me this, Oni-chan?"

"Because you need to know that you _did_ make him happy," Kyo told her, his eyes oddly sympathetic. "He always used to get this stupid smile on his face when he talked about you, looking more like an idiot teenager in love—" Shihoudou's blush increased "—than a king. He'd still smile like that even if he was talking about how much he missed you since you fled to the labyrinth."

She broke the gaze then, her expression both tightening and softening in sadness. "But I..."

Kyo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "He also said that he knew you probably wouldn't be able to keep your promise, which is why he made the same to me." When she sharply looked back up at him, he added, "He didn't blame you. He understood."

Shihoudou drew in a shaky breath, her smile pained. "I just wish..." She trailed off sadly, shaking her head. "No use wishing," she said in a falsely strong tone. "Past is the past, right, Oni-chan?" Kyo nodded slowly. "And the future is the future. All I can wish, all I can _**hope **_for is... is that I can make him smile once more."

Kyo nodded again. "If anyone can, it's you."

"Damn straight – now, on ward!"

* * *

The "oni-chan" Shihoudou uses does not mean "older brother." It's "baby demon," at least that's how Tokyopop translated it. Kyo feels a little out of character, but he did give Shihoudou a bit of a pep talk in volume 28, why not give another?

I am on a roll, though. Hopefully I can channel this inspiration into finishing the four/five drabbles I have half-written for Remembering Fireflies.


End file.
